Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

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Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Brian Ronholm

Brian Ronholm was named Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety in December 2013. He oversees the policies and programs of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA's public health regulatory agency that ensures that the nation's commercial meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled. He also chairs the U.S. Codex Policy Steering Committee, which provides guidance to U.S. delegations to the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Mr. Ronholm joined USDA in April 2011 as deputy under secretary for food safety. In this position, he was part of a leadership team that implemented significant new policies that have enhanced consumer protection, including: zero tolerance for six strains of pathogenic E. coli in raw beef; a common sense 'test and hold' requirement prohibiting food from entering commerce before critical test results are confirmed; tough new performance standards for Salmonella and the first ever performance standard for Campylobacter in poultry; and improved capabilities for tracing contaminated meat.

Prior to joining USDA, Mr. Ronholm he served as an Agriculture Appropriations associate on the staff of Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro, managing a wide range of issues related to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies in support of the former chairwoman. Mr. Ronholm was actively involved in many comprehensive legislative efforts to improve food safety and nutrition, including the 2008 Farm Bill, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill, and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.

He earned a master's degree in political management at The George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in finance from California State University at Hayward.